


Inevitable

by MechBull



Category: As the World Turns
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-05
Updated: 2010-06-05
Packaged: 2018-04-19 16:33:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4753262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MechBull/pseuds/MechBull
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Previously posted to Livejournal June 2010</p><p>It was going to happen eventually.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Inevitable

It wasn’t when Noah returned to Oakdale, having just won some trinket for his film and clearly making the moves on Luke. Sweetly trusting and naïve Luke who wouldn’t hear of it, who told Reid that he and Noah were just _friends_ , they’d _always_ be friends, but there was _nothing_ there anymore. And then Luke came to Reid’s late the next night, looking ill and guilty and apologetic.

“He kissed me,” Luke whispered, obviously waiting for Reid to blow up in a jealous rage or perhaps shut down and shut him out and say _well, if that’s what you want_.

Reid just smiled. “Told you so,” he said, grabbing Luke’s hand and pulling him into the apartment.

**

It wasn’t the day Reid suffered through Katie and Doogie’s fairy tale wedding. Luke spent the entire ceremony grinning like a loon. Reid spent the entire ceremony thinking about the dinner at the reception. And the cake. Mmm, cake. But when Katie and Doogie kissed, Luke squeezed Reid’s hand and leaned over.

“I love you, you know,” he said softly.

Reid turned to him and blinked once, slowly. Straight-faced, he replied, “You’re such a sap.”

Luke snickered, leaning in and brushing Reid’s nose in an Eskimo Kiss. Frankly, Reid was just surprised Luke managed to wait that long before saying it.

**

It wasn’t when, months after Katie's wedding, Luke stayed out all night during a rainstorm with a foaling mare and landed in the hospital with pneumonia. The idiot.

Reid was finishing up a 20-hour shift and popped his head in on Luke, who thankfully appeared to be sleeping restfully. He sat down in the uncomfortable chair next to the bed and reached out for Luke’s hand. Then, he finally said it back.

“I know you do,” Luke whispered in response.

Reid jerked his head in surprise. “Thought you were sleeping.”

“Tricked you,” Luke said cheekily. He started laughing, which quickly turned into racking coughs.

Reid stood, holding Luke as he finally settled and then helping him down to the mattress again.

“Go to sleep already, or I’ll sedate you.”

“Mmm, sounds kinky.”

Reid shook his head, sitting down again and waiting until Luke fell asleep.

**

It wasn’t after the incident at the hospital. Seriously, only in Oakdale could Reid be quarantined with five patients showing contagious and potentially fatal symptoms – one of whom, it turned out, was a murderer on the run.

When the CDC declared it safe to let them loose, and Jack Snyder hauled the Midnight Strangler away, Reid had been awake for over 40 hours. He just wanted rest, but there were news cameras in his face and he couldn’t… he couldn’t –

Luke broke through the crowd, rushing over to Reid, grabbing his hand and guiding him away. Neither man said a word, not even when they finally got back to the apartment. Luke just tenderly undressed Reid, maneuvered him into bed, and curled up next to him.

**

Needless to say, Reid’s life had become rather eventful since he made Oakdale his home. But none of those events had been enough. No, it was when Damian Grimaldi came back to town. Reid wasn’t entirely sure what happened, but there was an argument, and Damian pulled a gun. Holden and Luke tried to fight him off, tried to subdue him, all while Lily was screaming like a banshee. Reid had his phone out, calling 911, because that’s what _sane_ people do during a crisis - something Oakdale natives had never managed to learn, apparently. And the next thing he knew, Reid woke up in a hospital bed.

“What happened?” he mumbled.

“Reid!” Luke exclaimed. The bed dipped and Reid suddenly saw Luke’s worried but relieved face above him. Then Luke winced. “You were – ah, the gun went off and you were…shot.”

Reid closed his eyes. “And which butcher carved into me?”

“Bob and Chris.”

“Christ.”

There was a pause. “Reid, I’m so sorry. If you never wanted to see me again, I would completely understand.”

Reid sighed, opening his eyes. “Shut up. Just…marry me already.”

**

And _that’s_ how Dr. Reid Oliver ended up in a new suit at Lucinda Walsh’s home, waiting for the commitment ceremony to start. He wasn’t nervous, of course. Reid Oliver didn’t do nervous. He just was…he was…OK, he was nervous. There was a knock on the door, and Reid looked up startled. He glanced at his watch. He still had a good twenty minutes to finish getting ready, hopefully without puking.

Reid walked over to the door and pulled it open quickly. He stared at Bob Hughes in surprise.

“What are you doing here?”

Bob barely restrained a smile. “Lily sent me to make sure you hadn’t snuck out a window,” he said jokingly.

“It’s stuck; I couldn’t get it to open.”

Bob broke into laughter, stepping into the room. “Are you ready?”

Reid exhaled slowly, reaching up to straighten his tie. “Yes,” he finally said.

“No, you’re not, you liar. Nobody’s ever really ready.”

Reid ducked his head, laughing silently.

Bob reached out and patted his shoulder. “I’d give you marriage advice, but I know you won’t listen anyway.”

Neither man spoke for a minute. Then Reid took a breath. “Ah,” he said carefully. “You know my parents have both passed away.”

Bob nodded, slightly confused.

“Well, I’d just – I’d like it if – never mind.”

“What?” Bob asked, exasperated.

“Would you and Kim, you know, sit with me as family?”

Bob shook his head, a smile coming to his face. “Dr. Oliver, you’ve grown soft.”

“Don’t tell anyone.”

“It’s actually the world’s worst-kept secret.”

**

Surprisingly, for Oakdale, the ceremony went smoothly. They put on rings and said vows and Luke’s silly grin was plastered on his face through the entire thing and Reid himself might have cracked a smile. Afterwards, Emma bawled as she hugged Luke and Reid simultaneously, Lucinda kissed both Reid’s cheeks and then winked at him, Lily gave Reid a look that made him think that someday – _someday_ – she might like him a little, and Holden shook his hand before pulling him into a hug.

“I have a cousin who’s a cop, plenty of land and a shovel. You hurt my son, they’ll never find your body,” Holden muttered in his ear.

“Yes, sir,” Reid replied.

But when he pulled back, Holden was grinning.

**

Reid groaned as another person stood up to give a toast.

“Hush,” Luke whispered, fighting a grin.

“Who are all these people and why do they feel the need to talk about us?” Reid replied quietly.

“This is what weddings are all about.”

“You tricked me.”

“What?!”

“Look, Snyder, I did this for one reason and one reason only. I was promised one hell of a feast, and instead I’m sitting here listening to your third cousin, once removed, or I don’t know, bad dad’s long-lost good twin, or whoever he is, blither about true love.”

Luke turned to look at him slyly and then leaned forward to shut him up with a kiss. Thankfully, it was perfectly timed with the end of the toast, so it still looked like they had been paying attention.

Luke pulled away, smiling as the applause and Casey’s wolf-whistle registered. He placed a palm to Reid’s cheek and leaned in again.

“Well, the only reason I did this was for the wedding night, so if you’re impatient, imagine how I’m feeling.”


End file.
